The Clinch and Powell Rivers (Virginia, USA) support diverse mussel assemblages. Extensive coal mining occurs in both watersheds. In large reaches of both rivers, major ion concentrations are elevated and mussels have been extirpated or are declining. We conducted a laboratory study to assess major ion effects on growth and survival of juvenile Villosa iris. Mussels were exposed to pond water a...

The utilization of organochlorine pesticides for pest control chemical has been of great interest on residue contamination from biological organisms in the environment. Green mussel (Perna viridis) samples were monitored as bioindicators for assessment of the water quality in coastal waters along the Gulf of Thailand. Thirty-six samples were collected from 12 stations during 1997-1999 and analy...

Increased water clarity associated with zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) populations may favor benthic algal primary production in freshwater systems previously dominated by pelagic phytoplankton production. While zebra mussel-mediated water clarity effects on benthic primary production have been implicated in published reports, few production estimates are available. This study estimates be...

Freshwater mussel species are in global decline. Anthropogenic changes of river channels and the decrease of autochthonous fish population, the natural hosts of mussels larval stages (glochidia), are the main causes. Therefore, the conservation of mussel species depends not only on habitat conservation, but also on the availability of the fish host. In Portugal, information concerning most of t...

Mussels rely on a strong byssal attachment to persist in a range of habitats with differing rates of water flow. Recent studies, however, suggest that the ability of one mussel species to sense and respond adaptively to the flow in its environment is limited under even modest flow conditions because the process of byssal thread formation is disrupted. This study extends these findings to four m...

Trematode parasites can affect the molluscan hosts serving as first intermediate hosts in their complex life-cycles in manifold ways, but little is known about trematode-induced effects in second intermediate mollusc hosts. In 2 field experiments in 2 habitats and at 2 tidal heights (low and mid intertidal), controlled infection of blue mussels Mytilus edulis serving as second intermediate host...

A large-scale study of Saginaw Bay was initiated in 1990 and continued through 1993 to examine the effects of the zebra mussel colonization which began in summerlfall 1991. Saginaw Bay responded quickly to the zebra mussel colonization, as fall 1991 values of chlorophyll were similar to 1992 and 1993 values. In inner Saginaw Bay, where most zebra mussels were found, chlorophyll, kPAR, and total...

A project was undertaken to develop mussel reference materials that were certified for their mass fractions of saxitoxin and decarbamoyl-saxitoxin. Fifteen laboratories from various European countries participated. Three of these had major responsibility for substantial parts of the work and overall coordination of the project. The project involved 4 main activities: (1) procurement and charact...

Theoretical models highlight that spatially self-organized patterns can have important emergent effects on the functioning of ecosystems, for instance by increasing productivity and affecting the vulnerability to catastrophic shifts. However, most theoretical studies presume idealized homogeneous conditions, which are rarely met in real ecosystems. Using self-organized mussel beds as a case stu...

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a potentially fatal human health condition caused by the consumption of shellfish containing high levels of PSP toxins. Toxin extraction from shellfish and from algal cultures for use as standards and analysis by alternative analytical monitoring methods to the mouse bioassay is extensive and laborious. This study investigated whether a selected MAb antibo...